Tag Archives: Medical Detox

When someone is dealing with addiction and ready to get help, one of the first steps is detox or the process of stopping drug or alcohol use. This process can involve some uncomfortable or dangerous physical symptoms — which is where a medical detox center comes in. These centers are staffed with doctors and nurses who are trained in addition and detox, so they can help your loved one get through withdrawal safely.

Detox is almost always uncomfortable; in some cases, it can be life-threatening. Medical detox centers monitor the symptoms, help manage pain, and provide invaluable support for both mental and physical health. This process helps keep the patient as comfortable as possible. When the detox is over, most people are ready to continue on with addiction treatment. For many people with addiction, the fear of the unknown is serious; when that’s the case, it’s helpful to know exactly what to expect when you take a friend or family member to a medical detox center.

Consultation, Evaluation, and Admission to a Medical Detox Center

When you arrive at a medical detox center, the first step is an evaluation and consultation. Your loved one will meet with a substance abuse specialist to discuss the situation. This person, sometimes in combination with an admissions professional, will figure out what’s needed during the detox process. They will come up with a care plan that takes into account factors such as:

It’s important to encourage your loved one to be completely honest during this process; even when it’s hard, this honesty helps the medical team create the most comfortable detox plan. During the intake process, the health professional will also request drug testing. This helps the center figure out exactly what substances are in the person’s system, so they can create an appropriate plan for detox. Once they have a plan, the medical team will explain it to you thoroughly — at the end of the process, you should know exactly what to expect and understand exactly what the doctors and nurses will do. If you’re happy with the treatment plan, you’ll need to fill out intake forms and be admitted to the facility.

Stabilizing the Patient

The next step in medical detox is stabilization. During this stage, your loved one will stay in the detox facility. Since there are no more drugs and alcohol coming into their system, they will start to go into withdrawal. Exact withdrawal symptoms vary dramatically based on the substance and the person’s history. The doctors and nurses at the facility help keep the patient comfortable during the process. They may prescribe medications to help control pain or keep the patient safe. In some cases, the medical staff delivers fluids and nutritional supplements if the patient can’t keep down water and food. Most importantly, they provide constant supervision, so your loved one is always safe and unable to relapse.

Another important part of medical detox is psychological support. Detox is stressful, so the facility’s mental health staff are a key part of the process. They take away some of the fear by explaining what to expect, and they provide a soothing, comforting presence during the worst moments. This support is instrumental in getting your loved one through the fear and anxiety that comes with detoxing.

Preparing for the Next Steps

For most people with addiction, medical detox on its own isn’t enough to treat the problem. It stabilizes them, so they’re mentally and physically strong enough to undergo further treatment. This might include a rehab center or outpatient therapy, depending on the situation.

At the end of the medical detox process, when the substances are out of your loved one’s body and they’re thinking clearly, the healthcare team will talk about the next steps. Usually, with the help of a counselor, they’ll come up with a plan moving forward. Most importantly, they help prepare the patient mentally for the things they can expect in treatment and make them aware of their options. This process helps the person feel that there is hope, and that help for addiction is available.

If you or a loved one is in need of medical detox, or if you simply want to find out more about addiction treatment options, we’re just a call away. We can help you figure out the best next step for your unique situation; just call us today at 800-737-0933.

Anyone who has overcome addiction can attest to how difficult it is to go through a detox program and coping with withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, medically-assisted detox, which is a treatment supervised by physicians and mental health professionals, has made this part of recovery considerably more palatable. For those who have never experienced withdrawal, the symptoms can be not only painful but also life-threatening.

Given these facts, most drug treatment facilities are staffed with professionals who are well-versed in the detox process and capable of supporting the mental and physical needs of the patient. In this article, we will be going over the protocols that the medical staff in most drug treatment facilities follow and what you can expect as you go through a recovery program.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A MEDICAL DETOX

Understanding that the needs of each individual patient can vary, many drug recovery programs provide personalized treatments aimed at helping patients overcome their addiction. It is worth noting that these treatments place a strong emphasis on treat not only the body but also the mind. As such, most drug recovery programs require patients to successfully each stage of treatment before moving on to the next. These stages include an evaluation, stabilization, and awareness building, which are all used to gauge how well each patient is progressing through recovery. Now that we have identified these the three stages, let’s take a closer look at them individually:

EVALUATION

The evaluation stage is an opportunity for those involved in the patient’s care to gather information and outline a course of treatment that suits the needs of the patient. During this initial stage, physicians will also administer breath, urine, and blood tests to detect drugs and other contaminants that may still be in the patient’s system. This information, along with mental and medical health history, is critical in mapping out an effective detox strategy for the patient.

STABILIZATION

Stabilization is not only the most important but also most time-consuming aspect of any detox program. This stage entails explaining to the patient what they can expect while undergoing detox and providing them with medical or psychological treatments as needed.

AWARENESS BUILDING

The awareness building stage marks the final stage of detox for the patient whereby they will be taught coping skills to help them avoid falling victim to cravings, which could result in relapse. One of the biggest misconceptions associated with drug recovery programs is that completing detox and surviving withdrawal guarantees sobriety, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Awareness building is designed to ensure patients remain drug and alcohol-free once they have completed detox and return to the real world.

In summation, there are many factors that dictate whether or not an individual will be successful in overcoming their addiction. Most drug treatment facilities are cognizant of this fact and will work collectively towards ensuring a favorable outcome for all of their patients. Call us today at 800-737-0933.

What happens when an addict gets tired of trying to live within the cycle of addiction? That horrible desperation of chasing money to buy drugs that give nothing more than a temporary high. The process of having to deal with the destruction of relationships that seems to follow them wherever they go. Once addiction takes hold and starts ravaging the addict’s life, the options start to narrow.

Sooner or later, that’s exactly the position far too many people find themselves in when they get addicted to opiates. Opiates refer to popular substances like prescription painkillers, heroin and the ever-dangerous Fentanyl. For that wonderful euphoria people seek from these substances, there’s a huge price to be paid. However, there is a way out.

The first step towards recovery requires that the addict come to grips with the fact they are suffering from an illness. From there, they will realize it’s time to seek help. Experience teaches that the only way to recover from an opiate addiction is by getting treatment from a reputable drug and alcohol addiction treatment center.

For the ones who want the best possible care, rehab facilities in Florida should be on top of the list. The state has truly become a mecca for recovery. Throughout the world, South Florida is known as the “rehab capital of the world?” That reputation was earned because of the fact the region has a disproportionate number of the world’s top addiction treatment centers. What makes these facilities stand out above the rest?

Amazing success in treating people who stay in recovery

Employment of the top addiction treatment professional in the industry

Innovative treatment modalities

Luxury facilities with great amenities

Beautiful year-round weather

It’s worth noting that treatment encompasses more than therapy. It also includes detox programs. Below, you will find some information about why Florida is the perfect destination for medical detox.

Reasons to Do Medical Detox in Florida

For opiate addicts, a medical detox process is an essential precursor to therapy. It gives the patient an opportunity to get through some dangerous withdrawal symptoms with a minimum of discomfort. Here’s a partial list of the most common opiate withdrawal symptoms that are possible when an addict suddenly stops taking their drugs:

Loss of motor control and body function

Convulsions, body tremors, hallucinations and night mares

Difficulty sleeping

Breathing and blood pressure issues

Severe cramping in the body muscles and stomach area

Psychological issues like anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts

With so many of the world’s top rehab facilities concentrated in Florida, it makes sense that this is also the right place to go through detox. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

Continuity of Treatment

Many of the top rehab centers in Florida provide its own detox services. For those that don’t, they usually have an affiliation with one of the better detox facilities in the area. For anyone who plans to go through the entire treatment process in a Florida rehab facility, there’s a great benefit derived from also going through detox there. It’s called continuity of treatment. As the patient is going through detox, they’ll have an opportunity to begin working with top addiction treatment specialists who work in the same facility or a referred facility. The proximity makes it easy for everyone to communicate about a particular patient’s progress and circumstances.

Access to Innovative Detox Methods

With many of the industry’s top clinicians working in Florida, the associated detox facilities are always on the cutting edge of new detox treatment methods. That’s exactly what a patient should want. They should be thrilled with the opportunity to get access to the latest, greatest and best detox methods available.

Temporary Relocation to a Safe Environment

Going through detox and treatment close to home is not always the best option. By relocating to Florida for the entire treatment process, the patient effectively removes themselves from the people, places and things that prompted their addiction. In turn, the move effectively removes possible interference from outside sources. That helps make it easier to focus on the task at hand, which is working hard to establish a strong recovery.

If you are one of the lucky ones who is ready to ask for help, we highly recommend you seek that help in Florida. For more information, you can contact our facility at 800-737-0933.